Southwest Airlines Launches Pittsburgh-Houston Hobby Nonstop Flights

Southwest Airlines Launches Pittsburgh-Houston Hobby Nonstop Flights
PR Newswire
PITTSBURGH and HOUSTON, April 15, 2013
PITTSBURGH and HOUSTON, April 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --Pittsburgh and Houston
celebrate a new direct flight operated by Southwest Airlines from Pittsburgh
International Airport (PIT) to William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) in Houston,
which provides business travelers in the energy sector new travel options to
the Energy Capital of the World.
"Travelers are now booking and flying new nonstop Houston Hobby flights on
Southwest Airlines. The Houston, Texas market is vital for our business and
leisure travelers and increasing the choices teamed with Southwest's
competitive fares will be a great benefit to our region," said Rich
Fitzgerald, Allegheny County Executive.
"This is the first time nonstop daily Pittsburgh flights to Houston Hobby
Airport have ever been offered. The new nonstop service between Pittsburgh and
Houston will provide our customers convenient connecting service to/from the
east, west and gulf coasts," said David Minnotte, Chairman, Allegheny County
Airport Authority.
"Customers will also experience our newly retrofitted 700-series aircraft with
the Evolve interior on these routes. Southwest Airlines is building a $100
million international facility at William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) and will
begin operating flights to Mexico, the Caribbean and other Latin American
destinations in 2015," said Mike Gillock, Pittsburgh Station Manager,
Southwest Airlines.
"By welcoming new service into the Pittsburgh region, itdemonstrates the
value Marcellus Shale brings to the overall business climate of the region.
This is yet another excellent example of the job growth natural gas
development is fueling in the United States," said Gary Smith, Executive Board
Member of MSC and Vice President and General Manager, EOG Resources. EOG is
one of the largest energy companies for oil and natural gas production in the
country and is based in Houston.
"Our city's second largest airport, Hobby (HOU), has been serving the Houston
community for more than 80 years," said Mario C. Diaz, Houston Airport System
Director. "Located approximately seven miles south of downtown Houston, Hobby
Airport is pleased to open our doors to Pittsburgh's air travelers. Southwest
Airlines continues to find new business opportunities within Houston's
thriving economy."
The PIT-HOU schedule will include one flight daily. Monday through Friday, it
will depart PIT at 11:50 a.m., arriving HOU at 2:00. p.m. Saturdays it will
depart PIT at 9:15 a.m. and on Sunday depart PIT at 12:00 p.m. Returning from
HOU to PIT: Sunday through Friday, the flight will depart HOU at 1:35 p.m.
and arrive at PIT 5:35 p.m. Saturday, it departs HOU at 10:35 a.m. and arrives
at PIT 2:29 p.m. Flights can be booked at www.southwest.com.
Southwest and AirTran Airways currently operate up to 31 combined daily
flights from Pittsburgh to Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago Midway, Denver, Ft.
Lauderdale, Ft. Myers, Las Vegas, Orlando, Phoenix and Tampa.
The new Houston Hobby service places Pittsburgh into the new international
gateway hub in Houston connecting Pittsburgh with the growing Central and
South American markets. The additional Houston Hobby service adds 20
connecting markets west of the Mississippi to potential Pittsburgh
itineraries. This new service includes connections to 25 daily flights
between Houston Hobby and Dallas Love Field and 10 daily flights to New
Orleans. Other connecting markets include Albuquerque, Austin, Corpus Christi,
Denver, El Paso, Harlingen, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Little Rock, Midland,
Kansas City, Oakland, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, San Diego, San Antonio, St.
Louis, and Tulsa.
About Houston Airport System:
The Houston Airport System served 50 million passengers in 2012. Houston's
three airports contribute over $27 billion to the regional economy. Visit
fly2houston.com/hobbyairport and follow us @HobbyAirport
SOURCE Houston Airport System
Website: http://www.fly2houston.com
Contact: JoAnn Jenny, Director, Communications, Allegheny County Airport
Authority, 412-472-3517; Roxanne Butler, Director of Public Relations and
Communications, Houston Airport System, 281-233-1234